Jirithkaen Child Caregivers

Child caregivers raise, teach, and care for children from birth until their adoption. Almost all Jirian children in large cities were raised by caregivers during the first few months of their life.

Although orphanages and children's homes are common in many societies, Jirian culture is unique in that all children are considered unclaimed at birth and are only very rarely adopted by their birth parents. Most children are adopted by a different household, which is considered their one and only family. In small Jirian villages, children can easily be adopted by whatever household is currently best able to take in a child. In the cities however, newborns are often sent to a children's home where they are raised by the caregivers until they are adopted.

Career

Career Progression

Children raised in care homes are typically adopted within a few months or years, but some live out their entire childhoods under the instruction of the caregivers. When they reach adulthood, these people often stay at the children's homes to become caregivers themselves. Others become caregivers because they enjoy helping children or as a way to give back to their community.

Payment & Reimbursement

Children's homes are considered social services and their employees are are paid a small amount by the government to keep the home running. Many caregivers also rely on donations to help feed and clothe the children in their care.

Perception

Purpose

Caregivers are responsible for raising newborn Jirian children from the time they are born to when they are adopted by a family. For most of their wards, this process only takes a few months. For the children who need to stay longer, child caregivers serve as tutors in basic reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Social Status

The position of a child caregiver is not considered a very prestigious job, but it is vital to the functioning of Jirian society. Many respect the personal sacrifices that caregivers make in order to raise the young in their care.

Pixabay Image by Alexas_Fotos

Type

Social Services

Demand

Very high